The first Gem was released in 1899 and it helped bring music and entertainment to the masses! Yours appears to be a model B released in 1905 and sold for 10 dollars. You would have paid an extra 2.50 for the larger paneled horn shown. Since it uses the same reproducers found in later model phonographs the model B produced excellent sound and clarity. The Gem is also practically bullet-proof and their reliability was greatly appreciated by those who scraped together enough to buy one back in the day. $12.50 in 1905 had the same buying power as 443.65 in 2024 so a family had to spend about a week and a half's pay to purchase one. The average hourly wage at the time was 22 cents and hour.
That doodad is called a horn crane and you never pick up a phonograph by the lid handle. That handle is only used to pull off the lid from the machine. Just saying.
yours may be an earlier model, but this video shows you how to adjust speed on the Gem, I believe yours will be very similar. It is not a simple process, but easy enough for anyone to do.czcams.com/video/JHEYi6qWlX4/video.html
The first Gem was released in 1899 and it helped bring music and entertainment to the masses! Yours appears to be a model B released in 1905 and sold for 10 dollars. You would have paid an extra 2.50 for the larger paneled horn shown. Since it uses the same reproducers found in later model phonographs the model B produced excellent sound and clarity. The Gem is also practically bullet-proof and their reliability was greatly appreciated by those who scraped together enough to buy one back in the day. $12.50 in 1905 had the same buying power as 443.65 in 2024 so a family had to spend about a week and a half's pay to purchase one. The average hourly wage at the time was 22 cents and hour.
Good choice of beer
Great video, by the way your fence needs painting ... no of fence intended.
Love gem phonograph
That doodad is called a horn crane and you never pick up a phonograph by the lid handle. That handle is only used to pull off the lid from the machine. Just saying.
That's all very well but I'm going to be calling it the doodad from now on 😂
Something strange, my Phonograph does not have a speed controller, it's a gem from about 1903.
yours may be an earlier model, but this video shows you how to adjust speed on the Gem, I believe yours will be very similar. It is not a simple process, but easy enough for anyone to do.czcams.com/video/JHEYi6qWlX4/video.html